Batwoman's Flight 2 'point' 0
by ChibiLover123
Summary: A reworking of a previous story of mine, 'Batwoman's Flight'. Some things will change, so don't expect it to be exactly the same as its predecessor all the time. Bruce/OC One-sided Joker/OC later on. Enjoy! Chapter 3 up!
1. Chapter 1

The darkness was so _warm_, like being wrapped in an old blanket by the fire while drinking hot chocolate, and she never wanted to leave…

BEEP-BEEP-BEEP-BEEP-!

Startled awake, Jules groaned as her consciousness brought along every ache from her workout the day before.

Reaching blindly for her alarm clock, the brunette flinched as it crashed to the floor on accident.

"Oops…"

Lifting her head from her pillow now, she pulled poor device up by its power cord and smacked the button.

Silence filled her room, and she fell back onto the mattress with a tired groan, not wanting to get up yet…

"Julia? You need to get up, or you'll be late."

A louder groan answered the old Marine in the doorway, and Mike sighed.

"I told you that staying up for that Star Wars marathon was a bad idea."

"But it was _awesome_…" Jules whined childishly, looking up at her grandfather with the best Puppy-Dog Eyes she could muster so early in the day.

"Doesn't change the fact that you have to get up and start the day."

Groaning again, she levered herself up and swung her feet off the bed, reaching around for her shoes.

Smiling at her childish antics, Mike turned to get back to breakfast.

"Better hurry up, or I'm letting Tiny loose."

Green eyes widening in surprise, Jules practically leapt across her little bedroom to find clothes for the day.

Deciding that today was a 'yellow day', she pulled out a shirt from her collection of tops and found the appropriate skirt and socks in record time.

Shrugging out of her 'Digimon' pajamas, she stuffed them under her pillow haphazardly and yanked the t-shirt over her head after fixing her bra.

Straightening the words 'Don't Worry, BEE Happy' over her chest, she hopped while slipping into the skirt, the yellow ruffles scratching her unprotected thighs.

Landing on a computer chair, the brunette spun a full three-sixty while tugging on her yellow and black striped thigh-high socks.

Planting her feet to stop the chair, Jules shook away the dizziness while digging around under the desk for her combat boots.

"Aha!"

Triumphant, she quickly tied the footwear on and jumped out of her seat, skipping out into the main room.

"Morning, Tiny!" She greeted, ruffling the black ears of the massive Great Dane lounging on the couch.

Tail thumping against the cushions, Tiny rolled over onto his back, growling in pleasure as Jules scratched his belly.

"Good boy." She cooed, rubbing behind his ears before heading into the kitchen.

Mike was already sitting down with his morning coffee and a newspaper, frowning at whatever news he was reading.

Seeing this, Jules put an extra skip in her step and kissed her grandfather on the cheek as she passed him on her way to the opposite chair.

"Bad news?"

"Is there any other kind in this city?" The grizzled old Marine grumbled, folding the paper contemptuously.

"There's always politics." She reasoned, nursing a mug of black coffee.

"And you don't call that bad news?" He joked, half-smiling.

Smile widening now that the worry in his eyes was fading, Jules gulped down her coffee and stood.

"Better get going. The kids will be running the place if I don't get there soon."

Knowing this was true, Mike sat back as she ran to the front door, causing Tiny to fall off the couch in surprise while chewing on his leg.

Once the canine had registered that his owner was ready to leave, Tiny scrambled to his feet and bounded over.

Skidding into the door in his excitement, the Great Dane sat down and begged, his big blue eyes pleading to come along.

Unable to say no to those eyes, Jules picked up the leash and clicked it on the tags resting against the dog's white throat.

"I'm taking Tiny!"

"Just bring him back when you're done!"

Giggling at her grandfather's humor, Jules pulled an old Marine jacket down from the coat hanger with her keys and phone.

"Will do!"

Knocking her hip into the wood to force the door open, she slipped into the hallway with Tiny right on her heels.

Jiggling the lock until it caught, the brunette made sure that the barrier was firm before tugging Tiny down the hall.

The canine was quick to take the lead, and they soon boarded the rickety elevator at the end of the hall.

Scratching behind Tiny's ear so his leg thumped, Jules pressed the button for the lobby and settled back in the small compartment.

Humming the 'Spongebob Squarepants' theme song as a metallic ding sounded, the young brunette skipped out of the elevator, saluting the doorman on her way out.

The streets were bustling, even at seven in the morning, and Jules forced her way into the stream of bodies.

Allowing Tiny to pull her in the right direction, and part the nearby people with his irritated growls, Jules rifled through her pocket as her 'Make It Shine' ringtone went off.

Quickly putting in the password on her smart-phone, she pressed it to her ear.

"Hello-Hello?"

"_Hey, Jules. Is all the evidence ready for court?_"

"It's practically gift wrapped." Jules assured with a grin.

"Just show it to the judge, and there's no way Zsaz won't get jail time!"

"_What would I do without you?_"

"Have very empty prisons?"

They shared a laugh, and Jules looked up to see the child care center just across the street.

"Gotta go, Rach. I'm about to be mobbed by a group of kids."

"_You lead such an exciting life._" Rachel replied good-naturedly.

"Don't I?"

Leading Tiny across the street so they wouldn't get run-over, Jules opened the front door with her hip.

"See you later?"

"_Later._"

Ending the call, she grinned at the room of excited young faces as Tiny let out an excited bark.

"Alright, whose ready for some _real_ fun?"

* * *

><p>Stepping into the metal paradise that was her lab at the Gotham Police Department, Jules closed the heavy door and smiled at the 'THUNK' that signaled the lock had engaged.<p>

Dropping Tiny's leash so the Great Dane could go to his makeshift bed of blankets and pillows, she grabbed her lab coat and threw it on.

Rolling her shoulders as she walked around the massive evidence table, the green-eyed brunette powered on the formidable computer in the center of the room.

Once her password had been entered and accepted, the rest of the equipment hummed to life, ready for work.

Flipping the switch to turn on the light that served as the evidence table's surface, Jules typed in a quick four-digit password into a small keyboard, unlocking the drawers.

Twisting her pigtails up into buns, she plucked some plastic gloves from her lab coat pocket and put them on with a 'SNAP'.

"Ready for work, boy?"

Tiny's tail thumped against the floor in answer, and she grinned, pulling evidence bags out of the now-open drawers.

"Just what I was thinking."

* * *

><p><em>Fine grains, slight luster, opaque-<em>

Jules paused in her notes at a knock on her door, the messy scrawl of her handwriting left uncompleted as she straightened.

"Come in!"

Rachel's tired face peeked around the doorway, and Tiny barked a greeting as Jules grinned, pushing aside the microscope she had been hunched over.

"Rach! How'd the case go?"

The look on the woman's face darkened at the question, and Jules grin faltered.

"Rach?"

"I'm sorry, Jules…He got away."

Eyes widening in surprise, Jules leaned back in her comfortable computer chair.

"But…"

"Dr. Crane convinced everyone that Zsaz was insane." Rachel admitted.

"I know your evidence was compelling, but they didn't even consider it…"

Letting out a tired breath, Jules leaned back heavily and rubbed at her eyes, minimal sleep and hard hours catching up with her.

Something was set down in front of her, and she uncovered her eyes to see a jumbo-sized container of 'Sunshine Caf' sitting innocently on the table.

"I thought you might need a pick-me-up." Rachel explained, trying to smile.

Blinking up at her friend, a grin broke out across the young woman's face.

"Thanks, Rach. I really need it."

Taking a long sip, Jules breathed out through her nose and spun leisurely in her chair.

"It doesn't matter, anyway! We'll get 'em next time!"

"What makes you so sure?" Rachel wondered, half-smiling at her friend's antics.

"'Cause good _always_ triumphs over evil!"

Rachel didn't have the heart to tell her that evil was already winning.

"Then you'd better get back to work-."

Using her foot to stop spinning, Jules followed the other woman's gaze to whatever had cut her off mid-sentence.

Her happiness dissipated like smoke, and she felt tears welling up in her eyes.

A picture hung on the wall of three young children, all smiles and laughter, on a bright summer day.

The memory of their missing friend was still painful, and Jules looked away to keep the tears back.

'I wish Bruce would come home…'


	2. Chapter 2

The entire gym was full of noise; clanking metals, heavy breathing, the muted sounds of music from a thousand earphones.

Facing the balance beam, Jules tuned out everything, going through the routine in her head again and again…

Running forward a few paces, she executed three perfect front-flips before jumping up and landing on the beam hands-first.

Balanced on her hands, Jules let out a slow breath as she lifted her legs up and over at a leisurely pace.

Once they touched the smooth wooden surface, she let the bridge-position loosen the muscles in her back before straightening up.

Bouncing lightly on the balls of her feet, she back-flipped off with a twist, landing in a roll.

Popping back up, Jules grinned at her accomplishment, heart racing with adrenaline.

Stretching out her arms and legs, the brunette managed to lift both lower appendages up to her shoulders.

Once the muscles stopped protesting, she let them drop back down and sighed happily.

'Nothing like a workout to get the blood flowing…'

* * *

><p>Having changed from her work-out clothes (an old 'Powerpuff Girls' t-shirt and some bicycle shorts), Jules headed straight for Wayne Manor.<p>

Even after Bruce's disappearance, she still made it a habit to visit, mainly to keep Alfred company.

Stepping up to the massive, wrought-iron gate as the cab drove away, Jules slipped a key into the lock and dug her feet in to pull one of the doors open.

Once there was enough space for her to slip through, she stepped inside and shut the gate behind her.

Skipping up the long drive, Jules swung her 'Soul Eater' backpack in time with the 'Rugrats' theme song she was humming.

The manor was an imposing structure, dark and foreboding, without the old life it had once held within the strong walls.

Shaking off the melancholy air of the building, Jules hummed more loudly and knocked on the door.

The sound echoed back to her, even through the thick wood, and she rocked on her heels patiently.

Nothing happened for a long minute, and her brow furrowed in concern.

Alfred made it a habit of answering the door almost immediately…

Fishing in her Marine jacket for the keys Alfred had given her five years ago, Jules slid it into the lock and shouldered the door open.

"Alfred? Alfred, are you here?"

Silence answered her questions, and the brunette scanned the entry hall, looking for anything out of place.

Finding that everything was where it should be, dusted and polished, she deduced that Alfred was probably out on an errand.

Dropping her bag on the coat rack by the door, she walked the familiar path to the kitchen.

There was a platter of cookies waiting on the counter, still cooling, with a note stuck underneath.

'_I thought you might come while I was gone, so I made you a batch of chocolate chip cookies as an apology. I'll be gone until tomorrow taking care of business, so be careful not to accidentally destroy anything. Sincerely, Alfred._'

Pocketing the note, Jules nibbled on a cookie as she rooted through the freezer in search of the popsicles that were kept there for her.

'Guess I'll just have to take these cookies home for grandpa…'

* * *

><p>"Tiny, <em>sit<em>."

The Great Dane plopped down on the floor, tail wagging, and Jules grinned.

"Good boy."

Tossing the ball up into the air, Jules braced herself as Tiny leapt up, caught the toy squarely in his jaws, and landed hard enough to make the coffee table rattle.

"Make sure he doesn't land on the couch. _Again_."

Smiling sheepishly at her grandfather, who was in the kitchen whittling something out of wood with a knife, Jules held her hand out to the excited Tiny.

"Give."

The canine froze, growling at having to give up his toy, and Jules' eyes narrowed in a hard stare.

"Tiny, _give_."

Even Tiny knew not to mess with that tone, and quickly deposited the ball in her palm, tail tucked between his legs and ears back.

The thunder left her expression as quickly as it had come, and she smiled while rubbing the Great Dane's sensitive neck.

"Good boy!"

"Julie, Alfred called! He got you something while he was gone!" Mike shouted over the thumping of Tiny's leg.

"Really?"

There was a gleam in her eyes, like a child being told it was nearly midnight on Christmas Eve.

"He wants you to head over there as soon as you can."

Excitement bubbling in her veins, Jules quickly checked the clock hanging over the television, which read _6:17 pm _in bright red.

"I can make it!" She decided, determined to do just that as she leapt for the door.

"You have your mace?"

"Yes, grandpa!" She replied hurriedly, pulling the old Marine jacket over her pink 'Love Makes The World Go 'Round' shirt.

"Your cell? Your taser?"

"_Yes_, grandpa!" Jules answered, mock-exasperated.

Mike smirked, understanding her urgency.

"Alright. Just make sure you come back in one piece, sweetheart."

"I promise."

Kissing her grandfather on the cheek to seal the deal, Jules clicked the leash onto Tiny's collar and practically dragged the poor thing out with her.

Closing the door behind them, Mike sighed as his smirk turned into a smile.

"Have fun with Bruce, then."

* * *

><p>Once Tiny saw the massive gates of Wayne Manor, he practically exploded with delight.<p>

Jules had barely paid the cab fare before the Great Dane was dragging her past the gates and up the drive.

Running to keep up, she reined Tiny in at the front porch before digging through her pocket for the keys.

"_I have to admit, it's rather lonely in a house that doesn't look lived in. You bring a bit of life back._" Alfred had said when giving her the keys all those years ago.

To this day, Jules had never wasted an opportunity to use them.

Letting Tiny bound in first, she closed the door and made sure the lock clicked before heading for the nearest room.

"Alfred? Alfred, where's my surprise-?"

Stilling in the doorway, Jules took in the startled brown eyes of Bruce Wayne.

"J-Jules?"

Unbridled _joy_ erupted from her chest, and the next thing Jules knew, she was tackling Bruce to the floor.

"Oh my God I _knew_ you'd come back and no one believed me but I just _knew_ you weren't dead you sure got taller where have you been I was worried sick-!"

Tiny landing on top of them both cut off her stream of words, and Bruce grunted at the extra weight as the Great Dane licked ecstatically at both of their faces.

"Okay, okay! Off!"

Shoving the large animal away, Jules lifted herself up with a giggle, her grin not once wavering.

"Sorry, he's all excited. Tiny's never met you before."

"You named a Great Dane _Tiny_?" Bruce questioned, pushing her off with one hand in order to sit up.

"He _was_ tiny…Once."

Raising an amused eyebrow at her childish reply, Bruce helped her sit up.

"So, how've you been?" Jules wondered, straightening out her pigtails.

"Fine."

Green eyes began to narrow on him in a suspicious glare, and Bruce immediately started evasive maneuvers.

"What have you been up to while I was gone? Alfred said something about forensics?"

The glare disappeared, but Bruce knew he wasn't off the hook yet; Jules had a long memory and enough perseverance to keep that topic up for _years_.

"Yup! I'm a forensic scientist for the GCPD!"

Now it was Bruce's time to glare.

"The police? Do you know how dangerous that is?"

"Um, _yeah_." Jules replied.

"But I'm just so amazing that no one's bothered to mess with me!"

This time, his eyebrow was raised incredulously, and her smile turned sheepish.

"Well, it might be because of Tiny…"

It was just her luck that Tiny was chasing his tail at that particular moment in time…

"But I can kick butt, too!"

"Like you can make Jell-O? Or touch a toilet without making it explode?"

"I told you, I don't know why that happens!" Jules retorted defensively, arms crossed.

"Besides, my lab at the precinct is one of the most secure places in the city!"

There was a determined set to Bruce's jaw now, and Jules knew he had something in mind.

"We'll see about that."

* * *

><p>Jules couldn't help feeling proud as she opened the door to her laboratory, holding it open for her friend to step inside.<p>

"So, what do you think?"

Bruce glanced around the metallic room, with its humming equipment and locked drawers, and had to admit that he was impressed.

"It's definitely impressive."

And it was; even on close inspection, the equipment was shown to be carefully tended to and had been for a while, despite it's age.

Jules grinned, happy for his approval, and pulled Bruce deeper into her sanctuary.

"I told you it was great! When have I ever lied?"

"Before or after you started stealing cookies and telling Alfred it was me?"

"He had a newspaper!" She defended, pouting childishly.

"Those things are _dangerous_!"

Remembering the punishments he received for 'stealing cookies', Bruce had to agree.

"Anyway, I personally made the entire security system for this lab, so no one gets in here without me knowing about it."

Knowing how Jules often felt about her privacy, and her violence towards those that tried to breach it, Bruce deduced that it was a _very_ good security system.

"And do you still twist peoples arms when they lie to you?"

"Oh, I haven't done that since the first week!" Jules assured with a giggle, rolling up the sleeves of her lab coat.

'I'll take that as a _yes_.' Bruce decided internally.

A knock on the door interrupted his thoughts, and Jules checked the computer screen quickly.

With a deflated sigh, she pressed a key that unlocked the door.

"Come in."

Flass stormed in as if he owned the place, slamming a jug of 'Sunshine Caf' onto the evidence table.

Bruce noticed the slightest frown on Jules' face before she managed a smile.

"Nice to see you too, Flass."

Picking up the container, she played with the straw while retreating to one of her machines.

"What brings you down here on such a lovely day?"

"Nothin'. Gordan was too busy ta brin' yer poison."

"It's nice to know I'm loved."

Only Bruce seemed to catch the sarcasm in her tone.

"But I'm pretty busy, so shoo fly, don't bother me."

"Whatever."

Just before the door closed behind the officer, one last grumbled word floated into the room.

"_Freak_."

Pretending not to have heard, Jules took a sample of 'Sunshine Caf' and put it into the proper machinery.

As it whirred to life, Bruce figured it was best to distract her.

When given time to stew, Jules was a dangerous creature…

"You drink this stuff a lot?" Bruce wondered, gesturing to the jug.

"It's the nectar of the gods!"

'That's another _yes_…'

"This stuff will give you a heart attack."

"Oh, that's an old wives' tale!" Jules assured, waving the information off.

Bruce's eyes narrowed in an 'oh really?' look, and his arms crossed solidly over his chest.

"When was the last time you slept?"

"Um…What day is today?"

Sensing a rant, Jules sighed and rubbed her eyes, ready to explain.

"I'm just…_really_ busy. I'm the only forensic specialist left who doesn't take bribes, so the good cops will only give their evidence to me, and every case is important…"

Bruce had never seen her look so _tired_ before, and it tore at his heart.

A smile crossed her face, exhausted but hopeful.

"Besides, what's a few nights sleep compared to convictions in court?"

"Don't worry, Jules." Bruce assured, his conviction stronger than ever.

"Everything will be alright."

Jules' smile grew.

"I know."


	3. Chapter 3

Tapping her foot in the air, Jules frowned at her upside-down bedroom as music rumbled from her stereo.

'Something's up…'

Bruce had been acting strangely, _Alfred_ had been acting strangely, and no one would admit anything!

Frustrated with their evasiveness, Jules had decided to figure out whatever it was that her friend and his butler were hiding.

Locked in her room, with Lady Gaga and Pink singing in the background, she was prepared to do just that.

'Okay, so what are the facts?'

There weren't many; Bruce and Alfred may have been acting strangely, but that was all she had to go on.

Huffing, Jules pulled herself up the straddle the chair back, arms folding over the top.

'Things don't happen without a reason. Cause and effect, action and reaction.'

Staring at the chart hanging from her wall, at all of the old photos and drawings and medals, Jules made a vow.

'_Something_ is going on, and I'm going to find out what.'

* * *

><p>It had been a peaceful enough night; Jules' workload was still roughly three times what it should be, but that was still half of what it normally was.<p>

Having so little to do (at least in comparison), she was looking forward to a couple extra hours of sleep that night.

"_Julie_!"

That was the first sign that sleep was going to have to be put off for another night…

Getting whiplash from turning so quickly, Jules winced and rubbed at the stinging muscle, checking her security camera.

"Come in!"

Jim Gordan rushed in the moment the lock disengaged, an evidence bag in one hand.

"Whoa, there!" She soothed, standing to press gently on his shoulders.

"_Relax_, old man! You look like a ghost is after you!"

"I wouldn't put it past him." The lieutenant admitted, immediately sparking her curiosity.

"Who?"

"I'm not sure."

The evidence bag was handed to her along with a jug of 'Sunshine Caf', and Jules sipped at the drink while peeking through the clear plastic.

"The mob killing with staplers now, or are they just chucking these through windows?"

Gordan's moustache twitched in amusement.

"Not yet. Someone used it to have a little chat with me in my office."

"And you want to figure out who." Jules deduced after a deep gulp.

"Exactly."

"I'll put it in a safe place, old man." She assured, opening the nearest empty drawer.

"I'd work on it now, but I've got a lot of stuff to process for the DA by the end of the week. Not to mention that new stuff will come in that's time-sensitive…"

"Don't worry, Julie, it's not a case." Gordan informed, seeing the bags underneath her eyes.

"You'd better get some sleep in the meantime. If you stay up any longer, you might keel over."

"Don't worry about me, old man." Jules teased, grinning.

"I'm fine."

"Sure you are."

An eyebrow rising at her jittery leg, Gordan ruffled her bangs to make her giggle.

"But someone has to look out for you."

* * *

><p>The chair creaked as Jules sat back, rubbing exhaustion from her eyes.<p>

Everything on the table was bagged, tagged, labeled, categorized, processed, and ready to be put away until their court dates.

Stretching out her entire body, Jules sighed as joints and vertebrae popped back into place, pushing herself up.

Separating the evidence by case, she placed each bag carefully in the lockers lining one wall of her laboratory for safe keeping.

Just as she was picking up the last few, she noticed the bag sitting by itself on the far edge.

It took a few moments for her to remember the stapler Gordan had given to her early that night.

Staring forlornly at the exit, Jules sighed, depositing the last of her work into the open locker and closing it with a click, the electronic lock whirring shut.

'Might as well process whatever I can find.' She decided, cracking her knuckles in an attempt to stay awake.

"Julia Waters."

The voice was deep, masculine, roughened like someone who either smoked or shouted often; her quick mind deduced this in the seconds before she spun on her heel to face the intruder.

The man was at least a foot taller than she was, all black stone and scowls, the cape making him seem more like a shadow-spirit than a human.

Brown paper bags materialized from underneath his cape and were placed on the table.

"Evidence against Falcone and the corrupt officer, as well as a drug being smuggled into the city."

Instead of looking at the new items on her table, Jules looked him right in the eye.

She had a knack for telling if a person was lying by their eyes; 'eyes are windows to the soul', right?

There was something familiar about those eyes…

"…Thanks."

The man turned to leave, barely acknowledging her reply.

"You're the man Gordan told me about, aren't you?"

He stopped on the edge of the shadows, half-swallowed by the darkness, and gave the slightest of nods.

"…What's your name?"

She could practically see the incredulous expression on his face.

"I break into your lab in the middle of the night, and you want to know my name?"

A smile broke out across her face.

"I like to know what to call someone when I'm working with them."

"…Batman."

* * *

><p>The laughter of children echoed throughout the room, and Jules smiled as Tiny rolled over onto his back, allowing the younger ones to scratch his belly.<p>

Turning back to the computers she was reprogramming, she propped her chin up on her palm and waited for the system to boot up with a grumble.

Sleep had not been on the agenda, not after Batman's unexpected arrival.

Once he had left, Jules had given in to her curiosity and examined the stapler, hoping that something had been left on it.

Luck was on her side; a few scant epithelial samples had been found on the broad end, most likely from rubbing against the inner wrist when the stapler was being wielded as a gun.

Gloves kept fingerprints from being present, but even long sleeves couldn't hide the skin around a joint when it was bent in the proper way.

She had left her machines to work it out; they would send a text message to her phone with the results, since staying at the lab would have driven her truly insane.

The computer was taking too long to load (at least in Jules' opinion), so she checked to see how Tiny was doing with the kids.

Despite his large size and relative youth, the Great Dane was amazing with children and was extremely protective of them.

At the moment, the canine was walking around the room with a little girl perched on his back, her small hands clutching at the collar.

Tiny knew that going too fast could unseat his delicate rider, and so went along at a sedated pace, willing to stop at the slightest pull on his collar.

An older boy, a veteran of the center, tugged lightly on the collar to stop Tiny before swinging up behind the girl in order to make her feel at ease.

The sight made Jules smile.

Changing Gotham would always start with changing the children, and she was proud of the progress so many of them had made.

An alarm from her smart phone distracted her from the young ones, and Jules flicked her finger along the screen to unlock it.

The message was a newspaper article about Falcone's arrest by a mysterious 'Batman'.

'He caught Falcone and gave me the evidence…Gordan wouldn't have mentioned me…'

'Make It Shine' interrupted her thoughts, and she pressed a button before pressing the phone to her ear.

"Hello-Hello?"

"_Jules, you won't believe this! I've got evidence against Judge Faden!_"

"Evidence? From where?"

Rachel quickly went through her encounter with Batman the night before, and Jules leaned back in her chair as her brain connected the dots…

"_We have enough to prosecute now. He can't get away with it this time._"

"Right…I told you we'd get him!"

The happiness was a tad forced, but it had been forced so often before that it was taken for genuine delight.

Her phone vibrated, signaling another text message.

"One sec, Rach. I've got a text."

"_No problem._"

Opening the message, Jules' eyes widened in surprise.

'Oh my God…'

"_What's the message about?_"

Gathering her wits, Jules managed a nonchalant tone as she returned to the call.

"Oh, nothing. Alfred just made a batch of white chocolate chip cookies, so I'll be headed over there."

"_Well, I hope you enjoy yourself._" Rachel replied good-naturedly.

"I'll try."

With their goodbyes said and done, Jules ended the call and stared at the results her machines had sent.

_Bruce Wayne_.

* * *

><p>Jules stormed up the familiar drive to Wayne Manor's front door, her jaw determinedly set.<p>

There were three core rules when it came to Jules; do not threaten children, do not touch her lab, and _do not lie_.

Committing any of the above offenses were nearly sure-fire ways of setting off her temper, and she always got bloody revenge.

Knocking loudly on the door, her arms crossed moodily over her chest as she waited for Alfred to answer.

When the butler did, he knew trouble was brewing.

Her expression was like thunder, a carefully contained rage that never boded well for anyone that she was angry with.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"…I don't know what you mean, Miss Julia."

Her eyes narrowed, and Alfred would not have been the least bit surprised if she suddenly developed heat vision.

"Oh, you _know_ what I'm talking about, mister! You can't just go around acting weird and not expect me to figure out what you're up to!"

A smile crossed the butler's face as understanding dawned on him.

"I promised Master Wayne that I would not tell a soul."

"…"

Jules' expression lightened in delighted realization at Alfred's slyness.

"You acted strange on purpose so that I'd get suspicious."

"It worked rather well, I must admit."

The door was opened wider, and Jules stepped inside, following Alfred through the manor at a light-hearted skip.

Now that it was clear he had been trying to tell her the truth instead of lying, her anger was dispelled.

"Why didn't he say anything? I would have helped him if he asked."

"Master Bruce did not want to worry you unnecessarily, but I knew you would figure this mess out eventually."

"Can't hide anything from me." Jules agreed, grinning.

"Grandpa figured that out last Christmas."

Remembering that Christmas very well, Alfred couldn't help a smile crossing his face as he pressed the keys on the piano in a specific tune.

Jules was about to ask what he was doing when the wall opened.

Alarmed, the green-eyed brunette stared at this new doorway before looking up at Alfred for permission.

When he made no move to stop her, Jules walked into the rickety old elevator and waited for the butler to join her.

It started with a jolt, and she gripped the support bars as the machine lowered them into the dark depths of a cave.

The air was cool and damp on her skin, a contrast to the dry heat of a Gotham summer, and she wondered how the cave had come to be in the first place.

Stepping out as the elevator shuddered to a stop, Jules' eyes lit up in wonder at all of the gadgets and machinery before her.

And there was the suit, empty without it's owner, shining dully in the artificial light.

"It's all…It's _amazing_…" Jules voiced, running a hand over the cool metal of an examination table.

"Miss Julia."

Turning to see whatever the butler was pointing out, her eyes widened in stunned amazement.

"Oh my God…"

"I hope it's in your size."

Unable to hold in her excitement, Jules leapt forward, hugging Alfred tightly around the waist.

"You're the best butler _ever_!"

Chuckling, Alfred returned her hug.

"I thought you might say so."


End file.
